Listeria-Laced Meatballs Recalled

Some 324,770 pounds of frozen and ready-to-eat meats and poultry products, including meatballs, are being recalled due to possible contamination of listeria monocytogenes, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service.

Buona Vita Inc., a Bridgeton, N.J.-based company, is recalling 55 different meat products with various production dates and case codes, including meatballs, chicken and beef loaves, and chicken and beef patties.

Listeria-laced foods can cause listeriosis, a disease linked with listeria contamination whose symptoms include fever, muscle aches, diarrhea, and vomiting,

The contaminated meat at Buona Vita, Inc. was discovered through microbiological testing by the Ohio Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service.

The Buona Vita, Inc. recall is the latest prompted by listeria outbreaks to hit North American meat manufacturers in recent weeks. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled fresh shelled peas and the New York-based Mexicali Cheese Corporation expanded its recall to include four additional cheese products last week according to the Food Poisoning Bulletin.

Sean Flynn is a Junior Writer for The Daily Meal. Follow him on Twitter @BuffaloFlynn